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Abstract:

An electronic device includes a touch panel, and a controlling unit which
detects a user touch operation of drawing a circular trajectory on the
touch panel and a size of a circular portion surrounded by the circular
trajectory on the touch panel, calculates an aspect ratio of the circular
portion with reference to the longitudinal direction and the horizontal
direction on the touch panel, inputs the calculated aspect ratio of the
circular portion as control information of the electronic device, and
changes a setting value of the electronic device according to the input
aspect ratio of the circular portion.

Claims:

1. An electronic device comprising: a touch panel; and a controlling unit
which detects a user operation of drawing a circular trajectory on the
touch panel and a size of a circular portion surrounded by the circular
trajectory on the touch panel, calculates an aspect ratio of the circular
portion with reference to a longitudinal direction and a horizontal
direction on the touch panel, inputs the calculated aspect ratio of the
circular portion as control information of the electronic device, and
changes a setting value of the electronic device according to the input
aspect ratio of the circular portion.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the controlling
unit calculates the aspect ratio of the circular portion when the size of
the circular portion is a preset certain value or more.

3. The electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the size of the
circular portion is a sum of the longitudinal and horizontal sizes of the
circular portion or an area of the circular portion with reference to the
longitudinal direction and the horizontal direction on the touch panel.

4. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising a
speech output part, wherein the setting value of the electronic device is
a sound volume setting value of the speech output part.

5. The electronic device according to claim 4, wherein a changed value of
the sound volume setting value is variably set according to a magnitude
of the aspect ratio of the circular portion.

6. The electronic device according to claim 5, wherein when the sound
volume setting value is assumed as x, the changed value of the sound
volume setting value is assumed as y, and the longitudinal and horizontal
sizes of the circular portion are assumed as a and b, respectively, the
controlling unit changes the y to be a/b times or b/a times of the x.

7. A setting value changing method for an electronic device using a touch
panel, the method comprising: in a controlling unit, detecting a user
operation of drawing a circular trajectory on the touch panel and a size
of a circular portion surrounded by the circular trajectory on the touch
panel, calculating an aspect ratio of the circular portion with reference
to a longitudinal direction and a horizontal direction on the touch
panel, inputting the calculated aspect ratio of the circular portion as
control information of the electronic device, and changing a setting
value of the electronic device according to the input aspect ratio of the
circular portion.

8. The setting value changing method for an electronic device according
to claim 7, wherein the calculating in the controlling unit comprises
calculating the aspect ratio of the circular portion when the size of the
circular portion is a preset certain value or more.

9. The setting value changing method for an electronic device according
to claim 8, wherein the size of the circular portion is a sum of the
longitudinal and horizontal sizes of the circular portion or an area of
the circular portion with reference to the longitudinal direction and the
horizontal direction on the touch panel.

10. The setting value changing method for an electronic device according
to claim 7, wherein the electronic device is provided with a speech
output part, and the setting value of the electronic device is a sound
volume setting value of the speech output part.

11. The setting value changing method for an electronic device according
to claim 10, wherein a changed value of the sound volume setting value is
variably set according to a magnitude of the aspect ratio of the circular
portion.

12. The setting value changing method for an electronic device according
to claim 11, wherein when the sound volume setting value is assumed as x,
the changed value of the sound volume setting value is assumed as y, and
the longitudinal and horizontal sizes of the circular portion are assumed
as a and b, respectively, the changing in the controlling unit comprises
changing the y to be (a/b) times or (b/a) times of the x.

13. A portable terminal configured of the electronic device according to
claim 1.

14. A portable music player configured of the electronic device according
to claim 1.

Description:

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus (or
device) such as portable terminal and portable music player using a touch
panel, and its setting value modification (or changing) method for
changing setting values such as sound volume setting value.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] In recent years, information terminals such as cell phone using a
touch panel have increased. Particularly, buttons other than the touch
panel have been minimized for such information terminals. Typically, in
the electronic device capable of being input via a touch panel, such as
portable music player or cell phone, a user contacts the touch panel to
change a sound volume setting value of voice or video data. By way of
example, the setting values of sound volume and playback position may be
controlled from a slide bar in the touch panel provided on a display part
of the electronic device.

[0003] The following related arts are known as the electronic device using
a touch panel.

[0004] For example, Patent Literature 1 describes an acoustic device which
sets a sound volume-up region and a sound volume-down region to be spaced
from each other in a part overlapping on a sound volume adjustment region
image displayed on a display part in a touch panel, sets a plurality of
linearly-adjacent sound volume adjustment regions between both the
regions, detects an object contact on the regions, and changes an
acoustic signal such that a sound volume output from an acoustic output
device depending on the detection result is any of sound volumes
classified into multiple stages. According to this, there can be provided
an acoustic device which enables a user to easily adjust a desired sound
volume level when the touch panel is used to adjust the sound volume
level.

[0005] Patent Literature 2 describes an input operation device which
detects a pressing force on a touch surface of a touch panel and controls
a reporting unit based on report contents corresponding to the detected
pressing force. According to this, there can be provided an input
operation device capable of improving user operability.

[0006] Patent Literature 3 describes a display device in which two display
screens mounting touch panels thereon are adjacently arranged, the
display device displaying image data with the two display screen as one
screen, detecting a touch point position on each touch panel of the two
display screens, and displaying the image data in an enlarged or reduced
manner such that a coordinate position of each touch point coincides with
each coordinate position in the displayed image data on the two display
screens in response to a motion of the detected touch point. According to
this, there can be provided a display device capable of easily
enlarging/reducing the displayed image by use of the touch panel provided
in each display screen when a plurality of display screens are adjacently
arranged to enlarge the entire display size.

[0007] Patent Literature 4 describes an input device for an electronic
device which executes predetermined functions, such as sound volume
adjustment function, of inputting a predetermined one-stroke handwriting
(such as clockwise circle or counterclockwise circle) from a touch panel,
comparing and analyzing a direction changing trend of the input
handwriting, and increasing the sound volume for the clockwise circle of
the handwriting or decreasing the sound volume for the counterclockwise
circle based on the comparing and analyzing of the direction changing
trend. According to this, there can be provided an input device which is
simple and convenient for operations suitable for operation interface.

CITATION LIST

Patent Literature

[0008] {PTL 1} Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-48105

[0009] {PTL 2} Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-207110

[0010] {PTL 3} Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-240964

[0011] {PTL 4} Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-317159

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Technical Problem

[0012] As described above, an electronic device using a touch panel can
control setting values of sound volume, playback position and the like
from a slide bar on the touch panel provided on a display part. In this
case, the changing of the setting values through the touch panel
operation is in principle through an operation of button or slide bar
while viewing the panel. Thus, a knob or button of the slide bar needs to
be operated while viewing the touch panel to control setting values of
sound volume, playback position and the like from a slide bar.

[0013] For the operation, since a blind operation may be performed in many
devices for the button operation not using the touch panel in an
electronic device such as cell phone, the blind operation is similarly
desired for the button operation using the touch panel. For example,
since the sound volume adjustment of a portable music player is
frequently made, it is important for the user to be able to make a change
without viewing the screen.

[0014] However, the above Patent Literatures 1 to 4 do not necessarily
consider an easy change in setting value of sound volume even in the
blind state.

[0015] For example, in Patent literature 1 or Patent Literature 2, a
setting value is changed through the touch panel operation, but the
changing of the setting value needs the viewing of the touch panel and
thus the blind operation is difficult.

[0016] In Patent Literature 3, although two points are operated for
enlargement and reduction, if one hand holds an electronic device while
the other hand is in pocket or holds a bag, in many cases only the thumb
can generally operate the electronic device since other fingers are used
to grip the electronic device. When a stylus is used, two styluses need
to be prepared.

[0017] Further, in Patent Literature 4, the sound volume is increased or
decreased by clockwise circle or counterclockwise circle of the
one-stroke handwriting, but in this case, the user needs to operate many
times for adjusting the desired sound volume, and the desired sound
volume is difficult to easily adjust by one operation.

[0018] It is an object of the present invention to solve above problems
and provide an electronic device using a touch panel and its setting
value changing method capable of easily changing setting values of sound
volume and the like even in a blind state.

Solution to Problem

[0019] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is
provided an electronic device using a touch panel including: a touch
panel; and a controlling unit which detects a user operation of drawing a
circular trajectory on the touch panel and a size of a circular portion
surrounded by the circular trajectory on the touch panel, calculates an
aspect ratio of the circular portion with reference to a longitudinal
direction and a horizontal direction on the touch panel, inputs the
calculated aspect ratio of the circular portion as control information of
the electronic device, and changes a setting value of the electronic
device according to the input aspect ratio of the circular portion.

[0020] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a setting value changing method for an electronic device using a
touch panel, wherein a controlling unit, detects a user operation of
drawing a circular trajectory on the touch panel and a size of a circular
portion surrounded by the circular trajectory on the touch panel,
calculates an aspect ratio of the circular portion with reference to the
longitudinal direction and the horizontal direction on the touch panel,
inputs the calculated aspect ratio of the circular portion as control
information of the electronic device, and changes a setting value of the
electronic device according to the input aspect ratio of the circular
portion.

Advantage Effects of Invention

[0021] According to the present invention, there can be provided a setting
value changing method for an electronic device using a touch panel
capable of easily changing setting values of sound volume and the like
even in a blind state through a touch operation of drawing a circular
trajectory on the touch panel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0022]FIG. 1 A schematic block diagram shows a structure of an electronic
device using a touch panel according to an embodiment of the present
invention;

[0023]FIG. 2 A schematic diagram explains an operation when a setting
value is changed through an operation of the touch panel shown in FIG. 1;

[0024]FIG. 3 A schematic flowchart explains operations when a sound
volume setting value is changed through an operation of the touch panel
shown in FIG. 1; and

[0025] FIGS. 4(a) to 4(d) Diagrams explain a relationship between an
aspect ratio a/b of a circle and a changed value of the sound volume
setting value.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT

[0026] Next, an electronic device using a touch panel and its setting
value changing method according to an embodiment of the present invention
will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0027]FIG. 1 shows an exemplary structure of a terminal (cell phone) 1 as
an electronic device using a touch panel. The terminal 1 shown in FIG. 1
includes a control part 11, a display/input control part 12, a touch
panel 13 configuring the display part, an input information control part
14, an internal/external storage device (such as memory) 15, and a speech
output part 16. Additionally, when the terminal 1 is a cell phone, for
example, well-known components such as a wireless communication part for
enabling verbal communication, and a speech input part are included
therein.

[0028] The touch panel 13 is directed for specifying a position on the
display screen which a user's finger contacts, and any systems usable in
electronic devices may be applicable, such as well-known resistive system
and electrostatic capacity system. The internal/external storage device
15 may be any storage device usable in electronic devices, such as
well-known memory (ROM (Read Only Memory)/RAN (Random Access Memory)).
The control part 11, the display/input control part 12 and the input
information control part 14 may be individually provided or integrally
provided if the parts configure a controlling unit of the present
invention and each function is achievable.

[0029] The control part 11 is configured of a microcontroller
(microprocessor) having a CPU (Central Processing Unit) operating under
program control, and controls operation timings and the like of the
respective parts (the respective devices) inside the terminal 1 according
to control program instructions preset in the memory (not shown).

[0030] The display/input control part 12 passes a signal (operation
signal) in response to a user operation (touch operation) on the touch
panel 13 as input information to the control part 11, and displays
various items of information based on decision result information of the
touch operation from the control part 11 on the touch panel 13.

[0031] The input information control part 14 decides whether a user
operation on the touch panel 13 is an operation of drawing a circular
(including true circle (precise circle) and ellipse, as the case may be)
trajectory, calculates an aspect ratio of a circular portion (including
true circle (precise circle) and ellipse, as the case may be) surrounded
by the circular trajectory on the touch panel 13, and calculates a
changed value of a sound volume setting value or the like of the speech
output part 16 based on the aspect ratio.

[0032] With the above structure, a signal in response to the user
operation on the touch panel 13 is sent as input information by the
display/input control part 12 to the control part 11. The sent input
information is decided by the control part 11. The decision result
information is sent back to the display/input control part 12. Thereby,
the information in response to the operation on the touch panel 13 is
displayed, and data as the input information is stored in the
internal/external storage device 15.

[0033] In the present embodiment, the signal in response to the user
operation on the touch panel 13 is passed as the input information for
the touch panel 13 via the display/input control part 12 and the control
part 11 to the input information control part 14. Thereby, the input
information control part 14 decides whether the user touch operation is
an operation of drawing a circular trajectory, calculates an aspect ratio
of a circular portion 21 surrounded by the circular trajectory, and
calculates a changed value of a sound volume setting value or the like of
the speech output part 16 based on the aspect ratio, thereby to display
information on the touch panel 13 or to store data in the
internal/external storage device 15 in a similar manner to the above.

[0034]FIG. 2 explains a mechanism of the present invention, and shows an
operation of changing a setting value of a sound volume or the like
through the operation of the touch panel 13 shown in FIG. 1.

[0035] In FIG. 2, when the user performs a touch operation on the touch
panel 13, the input information control part 14 decides whether the
operation is an operation of drawing a circular trajectory in a certain
size or more. Consequently, when it is decided that the circular
trajectory is drawn on the touch panel 13, the longitudinal size a of the
circular portion 21 (see FIG. 2) and the horizontal size b (see FIG. 2)
are detected with reference to the two mutually-orthogonal directions of
the touch panel 13 (the longitudinal direction and the horizontal
direction of the touch panel 13 viewed from the front) from the
coordinates corresponding to the position on the touch panel 13 of the
circular portion 21 surrounded by the input circular trajectory, and an
aspect ratio a/b is calculated based on the detection result. Then, the
control part 11 inputs the aspect ratio a/b of the circular portion 21
calculated by the input information control part 14 as control
information of the terminal 1, and changes a setting value of a sound
volume setting value or the like of the speech output part 16 according
to the value of the aspect ratio a/b.

[0036]FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operations of the terminal
1 when the sound setting value of the speech output part 16 is assumed as
a setting value of the terminal 1 and the sound volume setting value is
changed.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 3, when detecting the user touch operation on the
touch panel 13 based on a signal from the display/input control part 12
(step S31), the control part 11 passes the information on the touch
operation as the input information for the touch panel 13 to the input
information control part 14. Thus, the input information control part 14
decides whether the user touch operation is a touch operation of drawing
a circular trajectory (step S32) based on the input information for the
touch panel 13. The decision is made by using a shape deciding method or
the like based on the coordinates (X, Y coordinates) of the longitudinal
direction (Y direction) and the horizontal direction (X direction) of the
trajectory by the operation on the touch panel 13, for example. A
software using the method is set in the memory of the input information
control part 14, for example.

[0038] Consequently, when the user operation is not the touch operation of
drawing a circular trajectory (step S32: NO), the input information
control part 14 decides that the user operation is not the touch
operation of changing a setting value but other touch operation (step
S33).

[0039] On the other hand, when the user operation is the touch operation
of drawing a circular trajectory (step S32: YES), the input information
control part 14 decides whether the size of the circular portion 21
surrounded by the circular trajectory is a certain value or more (step
S34). The decision as to the size of the circular portion 21 is made
based on a sum of the longitudinal and horizontal sizes of the circular
portion 21 or an area of the circular portion 21 with reference to the
longitudinal direction and the horizontal direction on the touch panel
13. The decision is made by using an area calculating method or the like
based on the coordinates (X, Y coordinates) of the longitudinal direction
(Y direction) and the horizontal direction (X direction) of the circular
trajectory forming the circular portion 21 on the touch panel 13, for
example. A software using the method is set in the memory of the input
information control part 14, for example. The maximum value and the
minimum value of the Y coordinate are obtained, for example, and thus the
longitudinal size of the circular portion 21 can be detected from the
difference between both the values. Similarly, the maximum value and the
minimum value of the X coordinate are obtained, for example, and thus the
horizontal size of the circular portion 21 can be detected from the
difference between both the values.

[0040] Consequently, when the size of the circular portion 21 is less than
the preset certain value (step S34: NO), the input information control
part 14 decides that the user operation is not the touch operation of
changing a setting value but other touch operation (step S33).

[0041] On the other hand, when the size of the circular potion 21 is the
certain value or more (step S34: YES), the input information control part
14 detects the longitudinal size a and the horizontal size b of the
circular portion 21 from the coordinates (X, Y coordinates) of the
longitudinal direction (Y direction) and the horizontal direction (X
direction) of the circular trajectory forming the input circular portion
21, and calculates the aspect ratio a/b of the circular portion 21 (step
S35). Then, the control part 11 inputs the aspect ratio a/b of the
circular portion 21 calculated by the input information control part 14
as control information of the terminal 1, and changes the sound volume
setting value of the speech output part 16 based on the aspect ratio a/b
of the circular portion 21 (step S36).

[0042] The changed value of the sound volume setting value may be variably
set depending on a magnitude of the aspect ratio a/b of the circular
portion 21. For example, as shown in FIGS. 4(a) to 4(d), the sound volume
is changed to be 1.5 times for a/b=1.5, twice for a/b=2, 0.5 times for
a/b=0.5, and 0.25 times for a/b=0.25, respectively.

[0043] In this case, the relationship between the aspect ratio a/b and the
changed value of the sound volume setting value may be changed such that
when the current sound volume setting value is assumed as x and its
changed value is assumed as y, y is (a/b) times of x, for example.

[0044] Alternatively, contrary to the relationship between the
longitudinal and horizontal sizes of the circular portion 21, y may be
changed to be (b/a) times of x by use of the reciprocal b/a of a/b.

[0045] There may be configured such that a table indicating a relationship
between a/b or its reciprocal b/a and the changed value y of the sound
volume setting value is previously set in the internal/external storage
device 15 or the memory of the controller 11, and the control part 11
refers to the table, thereby selecting the corresponding changed value y
of the sound volume setting value from the input a/b or its reciprocal
b/a.

[0046] As described above, in the present embodiment, when a decision is
made as to whether the trajectory by the touch operation input in the
touch panel 13 is a circular motion, and when the trajectory is a
circular motion, the aspect ratio a/b of the circular portion 21 is
calculated, the calculated aspect ratio a/b of the circular portion 21 is
input as the control information of the terminal 1, and the setting value
of the sound volume or the like of the terminal 1 is changed according to
the aspect ratio a/b of the circular portion 21. In this way, the setting
value can be adjusted by an one-point touch operation or one-time
operation and without view contact.

[0047] Thereby, in the present embodiment, there can be provided a method
for controlling parameters of the sound volume and the like without a
confirmation of the screen display on the touch panel provided on the
display part in the electronic device such as cell phone.

[0048] In other words, according to the present embodiment, the touch
operation of drawing a circular trajectory on the touch panel is
performed, thereby easily changing the setting value of the sound volume
or the like even in the blind state.

[0049] The above embodiment has described the case in which the portable
terminal such as cell phone is used as the electronic device using a
touch panel, but the present invention is not necessarily limited
thereto, and any electronic devices using a touch panel may be
applicable, such as portable music player or dedicated terminal capable
of viewing digital books (such as digital book terminal).

[0050] The above embodiment has described the case in which the sound
volume setting value is changed as the setting value of the terminal 1
which is an electronic device using a touch panel, but the present
invention is not necessarily limited thereto, and any setting values of
an electronic device capable of being changed by use of a touch panel are
applicable.

[0051] The electronic device using a touch panel and its setting value
changing method described in the above embodiment can be realized in
hardware, software or a combination thereof. The hardware and software
structures in this case are not particularly limited, and any structure
capable of realizing the functions of the respective components may be
applied. For example, circuits or parts may be independently and
individually configured per function of each component or a plurality of
functions may be incorporated in a circuit or part to be integrally
configured.

[0052] Part of or all the embodiment may be described as the following
additional notes, but is not limited thereto.

[0053] (Note 1) An electronic device including a touch panel, and a
controlling unit which detects a user operation of drawing a circular
trajectory on the touch panel and a size of a circular portion surrounded
by the circular trajectory on the touch panel, calculates an aspect ratio
of the circular portion with reference to a longitudinal direction and a
horizontal direction on the touch panel, inputs the calculated aspect
ratio of the circular portion as control information of the electronic
device, and changes a setting value of the electronic device according to
the input aspect ratio of the circular portion.

[0054] (Note 2) The electronic device according to Note 1, wherein the
controlling unit calculates the aspect ratio of the circular portion when
the size of the circular portion is a preset certain value or more.

[0055] (Note 3) The electronic device according to Note 2, wherein the
size of the circular portion is a sum of the longitudinal and horizontal
sizes of the circular portion or an area of the circular portion with
reference to the longitudinal direction and the horizontal direction on
the touch panel.

[0056] (Note 4) The electronic device according to any one of Notes 1 to
3, further including a speech output part, wherein the setting value of
the electronic device is a sound volume setting value of the speech
output part.

[0057] (Note 5) The electronic device according to Note 4, wherein a
changed value of the sound volume setting value is variably set according
to a magnitude of the aspect ratio of the circular portion.

[0058] (Note 6) The electronic device according to Note 5, wherein when
the sound volume setting value is assumed as x, the changed value of the
sound volume setting value is assumed as y, and the longitudinal and
horizontal sizes of the circular portion are assumed as a and b,
respectively, the controlling unit changes the y to be a/b times or b/a
times of the x.

[0059] (Note 7) A setting value changing method for an electronic device
using a touch panel, the method comprising: in a controlling unit,
detecting a user operation of drawing a circular trajectory on the touch
panel and a size of a circular portion surrounded by the circular
trajectory on the touch panel, calculating an aspect ratio of the
circular portion with reference to a longitudinal direction and a
horizontal direction on the touch panel, inputting the calculated aspect
ratio of the circular portion as control information of the electronic
device, and changing a setting value of the electronic device according
to the input aspect ratio of the circular portion.

[0060] (Note 8) The setting value changing method for an electronic device
according to Note 7, wherein the controlling unit calculates the aspect
ratio of the circular portion when the size of the circular portion is a
preset certain value or more.

[0061] (Note 9) The setting value changing method for an electronic device
according to Note 8, wherein the size of the circular portion is a sum of
the longitudinal and horizontal sizes of the circular portion or an area
of the circular portion with reference to the longitudinal direction and
the horizontal direction on the touch panel.

[0062] (Note 10) The setting value changing method for an electronic
device according to any one of Notes 7 to 9, wherein the electronic
device is provided with a speech output part and the setting value of the
electronic device is a sound volume setting value of the speech output
part.

[0063] (Note 11) The setting value changing method for an electronic
device according to Note 10, wherein a changed value of the sound volume
setting value is variably set according to a magnitude of the aspect
ratio of the circular portion.

[0064] (Note 12) The setting value changing method for an electronic
device according to Note 11, wherein when the sound volume setting value
is assumed as x, the changed value of the sound volume setting value is
assumed as y and the longitudinal and horizontal sizes of the circular
portion are assumed as a and b, respectively, the controlling unit
changes the y to be (a/b) times or (b/a) times of the x.

[0065] (Note 13) A portable terminal configured of the electronic device
according to any one of Notes 1 to 6.

[0066] (Note 14) A portable music player configured of the electronic
device according to any one of Notes 1 to 6.

[0067] The present invention of the present application has been described
above with reference to the embodiment, but the present invention is not
limited to the above embodiment. Various modifications understood by
those skilled in the art may be made to the structure and details of the
present invention within the scope of the present invention.

[0068] The present application claims the priority based on Japanese
Patent Application 2009-215633 filed on Sep. 17, 2009, the disclosure of
which is all incorporated by reference herein.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[0069] As described above, the present invention is applicable to
electronic devices such as portable terminal and portable music player
using a touch panel.